Relay operation indicator



March 27, 1928. 1,664,326

' H. P. SLEEPER RELAY OPERATION INDICATOR Original Filed March 10, .1923,

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l' 0 S Illlllllii a WITNESSES: 6 w I INVENTOR Harvey E Sleeper r? 694% I BY w M AiToRNEY Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARVEY P. SLEEPER, OF-EAST PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

RELAY OPERATION INDICATOR.

Application filed March 10, 1923, Serial No. 624,299. Renewed November 10, 1927.

My invention relates to relays and particularly to operation indicators therefor.

One object of my invention is to provide a relay indicator that shall serve to indicate when a predetermined operation has been effected within the relay.

Another object of my invention is to provide an indicator, of the character described, that shall be applicable to relays at present in service without changing the structure of the relays.

A further object of my invention is to provide an operation indicator with resetting means for relays of the induction type that r are provided with glass covers in order that they may be easily assembled on said covers to permit resetting of the indicator from the outside of the cover to obviate the necessity of removing the same to reset the indicator.

In practicing my invention, 1 provide an indicator comprising a semaphore and an electromagnet for actuating the same to indicating position when a predetermined operation is effected in the relay. In order to reset the semaphore to its initial position, in which it is not visible, I providea resetting member comprising an arm normally biased to a position that is out of the path of movement of the semaphore, a sleeve extending through the glass cover of the relay that is adapted to slip over a. supporting rod for the glass cover, and an operating member for the sleeve comprising a washer element similar to that ordinarily employed and secured to the outer end of the sleeve to permit turning the same for resetting the semaphore. The usual thumb nut is provided to tighten the glass cover to the base casting of the relay and the outer appearance of the relay is in no way changed. The resetting element comprising the sleeve, the resetting arm and the outside washer may be easily assembled on the glass cover since the holes that are ordinarily drawn in the cover are sufficiently larger than the supporting rod to accommodate the sleeve.

Modern generating or substations are very completely protected by primary relays. Neglecting the super-elaborate relay schemes which have been designed in the last few years, it is commonly the case that station protection involves the automatic tripping of a circuit breaker by at least four sets of primary relays. For example, a high tension substation with resistance grounded neutral would automatically trip its line circuit breaker in response to either of four sets of relays, designed to protect against the following conditions 1. Line short-circuit.

2. Line grounds.

3. Transformer trouble.

4. Bus trouble.

The first would be handled by the line phase relays, the second by the ground relays in the neutral of the phase relays, the third by the differential relays around the transformer bank, and the fourth by the bus differential relays.

As a result it has become very desirablealmost necessaryto have some means of detecting which relay has tripped the circuit breaker after the latter has been automatically opened. Heretofore, this has been taken care of usually by some combination of a shunt or series operated audible or visual alarm, such as an alarm bell or a telephone annunciator drop. Both methods have inherent disadvantages, the shunt de vice requiring an extra point on the primary or auxiliary relays, and both requiring additional wiring on the switchboard and board space for mounting. It is sometimes difiicult to provide dust proof mounting for these devices. Moreover, if the signal is de sired on the same side of the board as the relay, it necessitates drilling the panel.

The present device herein described over comes all of these objectionable features. This device is of the annuciator type and is placed inside of the primary relay itself. It consists of a solenoid, whose coil is connected in series with the direct-current trip circuit inside the relay. When the relay closes, the solenoid of the annuciator attracts a white vane into view. This circular vane is easily visible through the glass coverof the relay even at a considerable distance, as the white vane shows very prominently against the dark black interior parts of the relay itself. No drilling is required to mount this device in the relay, as its insulating mounting bracket slips under the time-dial mounting screw already in place. When installing this device in a relay already in service, the indicator coil leads may be insorted into the trip circuit by making the connections at the points of the internal contactor switch, which is easily accessible, thus making it unnecessary to remove the relay element from the case. The complete indicator is shown in Fig. 1. installed in the relay. This indicating device has the following advantages:

1. It tells which relay trips the circuit breaker. This makes it possible not only to identify the set of relays which did the tripping, but also to identify the particular phase in trouble as well as to distinguish between grounds and short-circuits.

2. The indicator can be applied to the relay without drilling, no external wiring is required, and it is protected in a dust proof case.

3. No additional panel space is necessary or panel drilling required.

4;. A positive and easily operated mechanical reset is available, which can be applied with a screw driver.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a plan view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of a portion of a relay of the induction type illustrating the disposition of the operation indicator and the resetting mechanism therefor.

Fig. 2 is a front view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of a portion of the relay that is illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view in elevation of a portion of the relay that is illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 is a frontview in elevation, illustrating the relative position of the resetting arm with a resetting portion of the indicating semaphore, and

Figs. 5, 6, 7 8 and 9 are front elevational views of the seve 'al elements comprising the resetting member for the relay.

In large power stations wherein a large number of relays of the induction type are ordinarily mounted upon the switchboards for controlling the apparatus in the stations, it is desirable to provide some means for indicating to a station attendant which of the relays has operated upon the occurrence of abi'iormal conditions to effect a predetermined operation of the associated apparatus. After having ascertained which relay has operated, it is desirable that the attendant be able to reset the indicator without removing thecover of the relay.

The relay of the induction type that is employed for protection comprises several elei'nents that it is desirable to observe during operation and an entire glass cover is there fore provided to permit continual and direct observation of these elements to obviate the necessity of removing the cover.

A relay 1 is provided with an operation indicator eoniprising an electromagnet 2, a movable indicating semaphore 3 that con-stitutes the armature for the ilectromagnet and a confining bracket 4 that is provided with a window 5 through which the semaphore may be visible when actuated to the indicating position. The semaphore 3 is provided with a tail portion 6 which extends beyond the lower edge of the confining bracket 1 when the semaphore is moved to the indicating position.

The electromagnet and the bracket 4 associated therewith are mounted upon, and supported by, a bracket 7 which is secured to the structure 8 of the relay by means of a machine screw 9. In the relays that are at present in service, the machine screw 9 is available and no change in the structure of the relays now in service is therefore necessary.

The electromagnet 2 of the indicating mechanism may be connected in circuit with the contact members of the relay 1 to be energized by the tripping current when the relay is actuated to operating position.

After the relay has been operated, the station attendant can see from the indicator which circuit has been affected and, after the faulty condition that caused the operation of the relay, has been cleared, he may reset the relay without removing the glass cover or casing 10 of the relay by means of the resetting mechanism 11 extending through the cover. A metallic casing pro vided with a. window can be used instead of a glass cover, if desired.

The glass cover or casing 10 is normally supported on two laterally extending studs or rods 12, the end portions 13 of which are screw threaded, and the cover is then tightly secured to the base of therelay by a threaded nut l l-co-operating with the end portion 13 of the supporting rod 12. In all of the glass covers as they have been, and are now, constructed, there is a sufficient opening in the glass to permit. a loose fit about the supporting rod 12. In. order to obviate drilling another hole through the glass cover to accommodate the resetting mechanism for the indicating member, one hole is utilized to accommodate the present resetting member constituting the subject matter of my invention.

The resetting member 11 comprises a sleeve 15 that is adapted to fit loosely over the supporting rod 12 and extend. through the hole in the glass cover which is also provided for the rod 12. On the inner end of the sleeve 15 is disposed a sleeve cap 16 to the inner end of which is secured an opcrating arm 17 for controlling the resetting! of the. semaphore by direct engagement with the tail portion6. The arm 17 is secured to the sleeve cap 16 by being fitted over a reduced portion '18 which is then spun back to secure the rm 17 to the cap 16. i The cap 16 is secured to thesleeve 15 by a tight pressed tit. A spring 19 is disposed around the sleeve 15 and co-operates with the side of the glass cover to maintain the reset ting arm 17 in its lowermost position, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The surface of the outer end of the sleeve is tiled flat at one point and a knurled washer 20 is secured to this end of the sleeve 15 by means of a set screw 21 forced against the flat surface of the outer end of the sleeve 15.

By turning the knurled washer 20 in clockwise direction, the sleeve is turned and caused to actuate the resetting arm 17 to engage the tail portion 6 ot the semaphore 2-), thereby etlecting the resetting thereof. The engaging portion of the resetting arm 17 is arranged to engage the lower edge of the confining bracket 4 to preclude movementof the resetting arm beyond the amount that is sufficient to reset the indicating semaphore.

By means of the resetting mechanism which I have herein described and illus trated, I am enabled to provide all present operating relays with operation indicators without affecting the present structure and without removing the relays from their operative service.

My invention is not limited to the specific arrangen'ients of the various elements that are illustrated but may be variously modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a relay, the combination with abase for the operating mechan sm, a cover having a transparent portion and a supporting stud therefor adapted to extend through an aperture in the cover, of an indicator comprising a semaphore visible through said cover and movable to indicating position when the relay mechanism operates and means for resetting the semaphore comprising a sleeve extending through the aperture in the cover and adapted to fit over the supporting stud, a knurled washer and means for securing it to the outer end of the sleeve, a laterally extending arm secured to the inner end of the sleeve and a spring for normally retaining the arm in position out of the path of movement of the semaphore.

2. In a. relay, the combination with a base for the operating mechanism, a cover having a transparent portion and a supporting stud therefor adapted to extend through an aperture in the cover, ofan indicator disposed within the cover adjacent said transparent portion and comprising a movable sema' phore normally hidden from view and an electromagnet for actuating the semaphore to visible position, and means for resetting the semaphore comprising a sleeve extend ing through the cover and adapted to fit over the supporting stud for the cover, a

laterally extending arm supported on and secured to the sleeve member and movable in a path including the semaphore when in indicating position, and a spiral spring disposed around the sleeve and co-operating with the inner surface ot the cover to main tain the laterally extending arm normally out of the path of movementof the scmaphore.

3. In a relay, the combination with a base for supporting the operating mechanism of the relay, a. cover therefor having a trans parent portion and a supporting stud for said cover secured to the base by suitable securing means, of an indicator comprising a movable semaphore normally hidden from view and an electromagnet for actuating the semaphore to visible position when the relay performs a predetermined operation, and resetting device independent of the indicator and secured to the cover comprising sleeve extending through the cover, an arm and means for securing the same to the inner end of the sleeve, a spring for maintaining the arm in a predetermined position, and a manually operable element secured to the outer end of the sleeve.

4. The combination with a relay provided with a cover having a transparent portion, an operating indicator within the cover adjacent said transparent portion and a supporting stud for the cover, of means for resetting the indicator without removing the cover comprising a sleeve extending through the cover and fitting over the stud, a resetting arm within the cover and means secured to the outer end of the cover for con trolling the arm through the sleeve and cooperating with the resetting arm to secure the resetting means as a unit to the cover.

5. The combination with a relay provided with a cover having a transparent portion, an operating indicator within the cover adjacent said transparent portion and a sup porting stud for the cover, of means for resetting the indicator without removing the. cover comprising a sleeve extending through the cover and fitting over the stud, a resetting arm within the cover, means secured to the outer end of the cover for controlling the arm through the sleeve and co-operating with the resetting arm to secure the resetting means as a unit to the cover, and means co-operating with the inner end of the sleeve to serve as a guide for the end of the supporting stud when the cover is placed on the relay to be secured to the base.

6. The combination with a relay provided with a cover having a transparent portion, an operating indicator within the cover and a supporting stud for the cover, of means for resetting the indicator without removing the cover comprising a sleeve extending through the cover and fitting over the stud, a resetting arm Within the cover, means til) secured to the outer end of the cover for controlling the arm through the sleeve and cooperating with the resetting arm to secure the resetting means as a unit to the cover, and means oo-operating with the cover and the sleeve to maintain the arm in a predetermined position.

7. The combination with a relay provided with a cover having a transparent portion, an operating indicator within the cover and a. supporting stud for the cover, of means for resetting the indicator without removing the cover comprising a sleeve extending through the cover and fitting over the stud, a resetting arm within the cover, means socured to the outer end of the sleeve for controlling the arm through the sleeve and cooperating with the resetting arm to secure the resetting means as a unit to the cover and a spring for returning the arm to a predetermined initial posit-ion.

8. In a relay provided with a cover having a transparent portion and a supporting stud therefor, the combination with an indicator for indicating a predetermined operation of the relay, of means mounted on the support ing stud for resetting the indicator to its initial position from the outside of the cover.

menses 9. In a relay provided with a cover having a transparent portion and a supporting stud therefor extending through a hole in the cover, the combination with an indicator for indicating a predetermined operation of the relay, of resetting means extending through the said hole in the cover for resetting the indicator from without the cover.

10. In a relay provided with a casing having a transparent portion and a supporting stud therefor, the combination with an indicator in the casing for indicating a predetermined operation of the relay, of means eo-operatiug with the supporting stud for resetting the indicator to its initial position from the outside ofthe casing.

11. A relay comprising a casing, a supporting stud therefor, an electro-responsive element in the casing, a movable element in the casing actuated by said electro-responsive element and means co-operating with the supporting stud for resetting the movable element from the outside of the casing.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 6th day of March, 1923.

HARVEY P. SLEEPER. 

